Exciting advancements are underway at MIT, where a team of chemists has made a remarkable discovery that could significantly enhance our diets. They have developed a method to fortify iodine salt with iron, a breakthrough that has the potential to address one of the most common nutrient deficiencies affecting millions around the globe.
Currently, around 2 billion people experience iron deficiency, which can lead to serious health issues such as anemia and developmental challenges in children. While iron is abundant in many animal-based foods, these options can be costly and less accessible. Plant sources, on the other hand, are harder to absorb due to the presence of phytates that inhibit iron absorption. The challenge of fortifying staple foods with iron has been compounded by the fact that what works well in one region might not be effective in another.
In their quest to tackle this nutritional hurdle, the innovative researchers at MIT have introduced a new approach using tiny crystalline particles known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These MOFs can easily be sprinkled on foods, mixed into everyday staples like bread, or even blended into beverages such as coffee and tea. Ana Jaklenec, a principal investigator at MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, shares the optimism behind this work: “We’re creating a solution that can be seamlessly added to staple foods across different regions.”
One of the key advantages of this approach is that it allows for the fortification of food without altering its taste or necessitating reformulation for different contexts. This is a significant step forward since many nutrients tend to degrade during storage or cooking, and adding iron traditionally risks imparting a metallic flavor to foods.
Jaklenec’s team previously demonstrated that encapsulating nutrients in polymers could protect them from degradation. In a small clinical trial, they found that women who consumed bread fortified with encapsulated iron could effectively absorb the nutrient. Although this method proved effective, the bulk added by the polymers limited the amount of iron that could be included in a typical serving.
To enhance this process, co-author Xin Yang proposed a fresh idea. Instead of using polymers, they could create MOFs using iron as a building block. These frameworks are made of metal atoms connected by organic molecules, forming a sturdy, cage-like structure. Yang explains their innovative thinking: “We thought maybe we could synthesize a metal-organic framework with food-grade ligands and food-grade micronutrients. Metal-organic frameworks have very high porosity, so they can load a lot of cargo.”
Iodized salt has been successfully used worldwide to prevent iodine deficiency, and there is growing interest in developing “double-fortified salts” that also include iron. However, combining these nutrients has been challenging due to their tendency to react negatively with one another. The MIT team’s findings indicate that their iron-containing MOF particles can encapsulate iodine without any adverse reactions, ensuring that both nutrients can be beneficially absorbed by the body.
In rigorous testing, these iron-iodine MOFs demonstrated impressive stability, enduring conditions of high heat, humidity, and even boiling water while retaining their structure. When administered to mice, both iron and iodine were found to be readily available in the bloodstream shortly after consumption.
With this promising research, the team is looking to establish a company that will develop iron and iodine-fortified beverages, including coffee. They are also eager to continue their work on creating a double-fortified salt that can be easily integrated into everyday foods.
Robert Langer, a co-leader of the research, expressed his enthusiasm for this groundbreaking approach, stating, “We are very excited about this new approach and what we believe is a novel application of metal-organic frameworks to potentially advance nutrition, particularly in the developing world.”
The findings from this innovative research have been published in the journal Matter, marking a significant step forward in the fight against nutrient deficiencies. The potential impact of this work is truly uplifting, offering hope for healthier lives across diverse populations.
